California Wine Country Rebuilds as Threats Persist

The drought in Northern California is severe, and the risk of fires remains high. But winemakers are trying to adapt to climate change.

ST. HELENA, Calif. — The block of vines at Cornell Vineyards on the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas Range, just over the county line from this Napa Valley hub, looked green and healthy in mid-July, as they ought to midway through the growing season. But looks can be deceiving. This particular block withstood the devastating wildfires that roared up the hillsides from both the Napa and Sonoma ends last September, destroying half of Cornell’s 20-acre vineyard, along with the newly renovated residence of Henry and Vanessa Cornell, the proprietors, and two other buildings. Along the edges of the vineyard, charred Douglas firs stand like stoic sentinels as they await removal. The vines seem vibrant, but roughly 30 percent in the block have not produced any grapes whatsoever.